[attr="class","matias"]honestly, matias had been avoiding this day for as long as he could, because he's unsure what he'd feel when he sees her. but as knocks sound from the door, there's no avoiding it any longer.

with a gentle sigh, he pushes off the couch, approaching the door before pulling it open.

"sage! it's good to see you."

his eyes drift down to the kid beside her. she looks so much like KING WAYLAND that he can't help but feel anything but uncomfortable.

regardless, he smiles, lowering to a knee.

"and this must be del. i'm matias."

[attr="class","noodles"]sagira mosse

[attr="class","matias"]matias stares back for a second, trying his best to understand del's thoughts.

"oh. yeah, they can look a bit scary, huh?"

a hand raises to brush against the tattoos that run down his cheek and then his jaw, ending at his chin.

"do you wanna feel them? they don't hurt or anything. i got them when i was younger."

[attr="class","noodles"]sagira mosse

[attr="class","matias"]the lack of a response doesn't dissuade him. if anything, he had expected as much. children don't seem to like him for whatever reason. is it his face? his tattoos?

or maybe it's just because del is KING WAYLAND's kid, and that hatred is genetically passed on.

"that's fine."

he stands back up, stepping a bit to the side to gesture into his home.

"does she like apples? we planted a tree in the garden and have even harvested a few."

[attr="class","noodles"]sagira mosse

[attr="class","matias"]it had been what he was offering, thankfully, because offering a single apple would've been pretty weird.

del not responding is expected, and so, matias can only offer sage a smile, unsure of how to help or if he even could help.

"come on. it's over this way."

he leads in, through his house, and out the back which goes down to a garden before eventually extending out onto the beach.

there, at least two apple trees have been planted, and underneath them, lying in the shade, is virizion.

"hey, virizion. i brought guests over. come say hi."

virizion simply looks, not moving quite yet.

[attr="class","noodles"]sagira mosse

[attr="class","matias"]noticing the little girl's disinterest, virizion quickly rises to her feet, sending out a flurry of MAGICAL LEAVES that float all around her. they glisten under the sunlight, almost sparkling.

elegantly, virizion approaches, trodding forward before standing before del.

"this is sage and del."

virizion dips her head toward sage but it's clear her attention remains on the little girl next to her, perhaps wanting to earn her approval.

so a single MAGICAL LEAF glides over to her, slow in its movements.

"it's a gift, del."

[attr="class","noodles"]sagira mosse

[attr="class","matias"]as the MAGICAL LEAF is tucked behind an ear, virizion nods, approving, before turning around and heading back over to the trees. she rests under them once more, enjoying the shade they provide.

"can't believe she chose a fish over virizion."

he chuckles, stepping after del and onto the beach.

"is she usually this quiet at home?"

[attr="class","noodles"]sagira mosse

[attr="class","matias"]the sight of delta running facefirst into the sand is too funny not to laugh. it's only then that he questions himself, remembering a conversation he had with Eva Morales.

should he even have kids?

when his laughter finally dies down, he follows after her onto the beach.

"can she even talk?"

[attr="class","noodles"]sagira mosse